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Wellwood, Bell to help Leafs

Neither Mark Bell nor Kyle Wellwood have played an NHL game this season, sidelined for very different reasons.

Kyle Wellwood, left and Mark Bell share a moment during a Leafs workout at Lakeshore Lions Arena on Monday, Nov. 5, 2007. Both were preparing to make their season debut the next night. (RICK EGLINTON / TORONTO STAR) | Order this photo

By Kevin McGranSPORTS REPORTER

Tues., Nov. 6, 2007

Neither Mark Bell nor Kyle Wellwood have played an NHL game this season, sidelined for very different reasons.

Bell sat out a 15-game suspension after pleading no contest this fall to drunk driving charges stemming from a September 2006 accident when he was a San Jose Shark.

Wellwood needed to recover from hernia surgery.

Bell, the tall, bruising forward, and Wellwood, the short, crafty playmaker are now teammates, roommates and probably linemates. Bell, for sure, and Wellwood, most likely, will suit up for the Leafs tonight against the Ottawa Senators.

"I've got some butterflies," said Bell after practice yesterday at Lakeshore Lions Arena. "I'm very excited. There's a lot of words to describe how I feel. I'm just looking forward to it, putting on the jersey and competing."

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Whether Wellwood will play depends on how he fares after this morning's skate.

The Leafs have taken a cautious approach to his injury. Head coach Paul Maurice says Wellwood probably could have played a week ago but was held back until he was convinced Wellwood's hernia wouldn't be reaggravated.

"I always had the feeling if I skated hard, bad things would happen," said Wellwood. "Now, I've been skating as hard as I could for the last two weeks and I've been fine every day after. I'm not scared at all about skating hard."

Wellwood and Bell are expected to skate on the fourth line with John Pohl.

"After spending a lot of off-time together and being roommates on the road, we definitely want to come back and contribute something and find a way to help us win," said Wellwood.

Neither will play a lot, although Bell will probably see some penalty-killing time and Wellwood should help out on the league's 26th-ranked power play.

Wellwood practised on that unit yesterday with Mats Sundin and Nik Antropov.

"There's no doubt Kyle's going to help our power play," said Sundin. "He's a really smart player out there. When he gets that extra time, like you do on the power play, he's going to make some great plays."

As important to the Leafs as Wellwood is, the focus yesterday was on Bell, who is sure now to relive that fateful night outside San Jose a year ago as he visits each NHL city.

He said again that the decisions he made that night – driving impaired and leaving the scene – were the worst he ever made. He still faces jail time for the incident following the season.

He chalked up his horrible season with San Jose to carrying around his guilt. The Sharks had acquired him to play on the first line with Joe Thornton but by the time the playoffs rolled around, he was a healthy scratch.

He's now in the league's substance abuse program – sober since that fateful night – and believes the Leafs have given him a new lease on life, acquiring him and goalie Vesa Toskala for draft picks in a draft-day trade.

"I think with everything, time passes, it heals all wounds as they say," said Bell, who'll have an entourage of family and friends at the game tonight. He's worried he's going to be so nervous, so eager to impress, that he might not have the game he wants.

"I hope he's out there all over the ice for a couple of shifts and then settles in," said Maurice. "I'm not going to try to take any of his enthusiasm from playing in this game. This man has been through as much as any of us can handle, and he's handled it as well as I think it could possibly be done," Maurice added.

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